Report of the Committee appointed by the Admiralty to consider the humane slaughtering of animals, with appendix.

  • Great Britain. Committee on Humane Slaughtering of Animals.
Date:
1904
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Report of the Committee appointed by the Admiralty to consider the humane slaughtering of animals, with appendix. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    In the case of wild or restive animals, however, the adjustment of these instruments is very difficult and their use is not recommended. Without going into further details it will be sufficient to say that, whilst the Bruneau mask * has much to commend it—especially with inexperienced slaughter men and when time is of little object—the Committee are of opinion that the poll-axe, when used by an expert, is, on the whole, the most satisfactory implement. In coming to this con- clusion they must add that in the hands of a nervous or inexperienced man the poll-axe becomes an uncertain weapon, and may be productive of much suffering. The Committee, therefore, recommend that no man should be permitted to use the poll-axe on a living animal until he has gone through a thorough course of training, firstly, upon a dummy animal, and secondly, upon dead bodies. Detailed recommendations upon this point are made in Appendix D. (c) Except in the case of very restive animals, which may have to be stunned by a first blow on the poll, followed by a second stroke to perforate the forehead, one blow with the poll-axe on the forehead should be sufficientt to fell the animal and to cause instantaneous loss of sensibility. The animal should then at once be “ pithed” by thrust- ing a cane through the hole in the forehead and up the vertebrae, thus breaking up the spinal cord and ensuring absolute death. The animal should then be bled, and directly the bleeding is finished the carcase should be passed on into the “dressing” room, as described in para. 8 (¢). The slaughter space can then be flushed down ready for the next animal. Calves. Calves should first be stunned by a blow on the head with a club (see Plan C, figs. 38, 4). A tackle can then be fastened to the hind legs, and the animal run up and bled, either by cutting its throat, or by cutting the head off. The usual practice in this country appears to be to run the animal up first, and then to stun it, previous to bleeding. This order of procedure is not so humane, and appears to be unnecessary. Sheep. The Committee have very carefully investigated the various methods of killing sheep. The usual method in this country is to lay the sheep on a wooden “crutch,” and then to thrust a knife through the neck below the ears, and, with a second motion, to insert the point, from within, between the joints of the vertebrae, thus severing the spinal cord. In the hands of an expert this method is fairly rapid, but somewhat uncertain, the time which elapses between the first thrust of the knife and complete loss of sensibility varying, according to Professor Starling’s observations, from five to thirty seconds. In the hands of an inexpert operator it may be some time before death supervenes, and there can be little doubt that this method must be very painful to the sheep as long as consciousness remains. : At the best it is a somewhat difficult operation, and yet in practice is often entrusted to the younger and less experienced hands in the slaughter-house, the probable reason being that sheep are easy to handle, and do not struggle or give trouble when stuck. In Denmark, many parts of Germany, and Switzerland the law requires that sheep shall always be stunned previous to being stuck, and the Committee have satisfied themselves by practical experiment and observation that this can be done expeditiously and without difficulty. A small club, with a * This appliance is used by the Army Service Corps, and forms part of the butcher’s equipmen issued to the troops on active service. _ + It is very seldom that an expert, or properly trained slaughterman, needs to strike more than one blow with a poll-axe. In any case, however, the first blow, if strongly delivered, is almost certain to fell and stun the animal, even if a second blow should be necessary to make the hole for the pithing cane, 193.—R. 51; 81-5; 131; 1138.; 1142; 1471. 67 ; 162 ; 955 ; 970; 1035; 1112; 1202; 1313 ; 1409; 1616 ; 1732. 53 ; 117 ; 700. 523-5. 214-6. 1688. 19. 222 ; 735 16. 972; 1022. 399-407 ; 499- 503 ; 811-9; 905 ; 1058; 1344; 1410; 1526 ; 905 ; 992 ; 1735. 32; 103-9; 180 ; 285-93 ; 394-397 ; 504; 664 ; 820-26 ; 911; 1001; 1618 ; 1740. 527; 1001 ; 1366 ; 1488 1101 ; 1196
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